The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-01
ONs
Four Weeks Remaining of the Pres
ent Session OF Congress.
A Resolution by Mr., souteIle on the
Senate RetaIiatorY Bill.
Maine Fishermen Petition Regarding
the MackereI Bill.
No Complaints Have Yet Reached
the Capital from Eastport.
Secretaries Bayard and Manning
Consulted on the Retaiiatory
Measures.
Postmasters Appointed at MachIas
and Bucksport.
The coiored Recorder Matthews,
Still In office.
Postmasters Appointed at MachIas
and Bucksport.
The Colored Recorder Matthews
Still In office.
Especial to the Press.)

| only very small number were presented IN
/ the House today under the call Of the States,
and probably none of them win see light
| again-at this session. The experience a
bill goes through during the time from its
first introduction to its final passage is a
mo st varied one. In the Senate bills can be
introdue ed daily, the third "order" Of the
morning business" before the 'introduc-
tion of bills and joint resolutions" Besides
this, by Senatorial courtesy" bill can be
presented and appropriately referred at al
most any time during the day.
But in the House from the greater number
Of members such freedom Of action would
result in the greater part of each day being
consumed by the introduction Of bills, to the
detriment Of other business Consequently
by the rules each Monday is devoted to this
business, and Immediately after the read
ing Of the journal, the roll Of the States is
called in alphabetical order, and each men,
Der when his State is called presents his
bills. On other days bills can only be pre-
sented by unanimous consent, and that is
very rarely given. On the first two or three
Mondays in new Congress the number of
bills introduced is very great, and occupies
the entire day, and on the first ''bill day" it
is rarely possible to complete the call in one
day, and it is extended through Tuesday,
but as the session goes on the number grows
less every week, and considerable other
business is done ON the "bill days" The
number Of bills introduced is growing with
every Congress. In the present the number
of House bills alone is about 1900, and
about 5000 in the Senate. Several hundred
more bills were introduced in the House
during the first session Of this Congress than
during boths sessions Of the XLVIIlth put
together. When bill is introduced it is
first read at the clerks desk by its title. 1t
is then referred to a committee and printed.
The committee when it reaches it, consider
it, and agrees to report it to the House
either fayorably or adversely If the former
1t is again printed and placed upon one Of
the House calendars, where it takes its
chances, with hundreds OF It's fellows, for
consideration. When it is passed, If it ever
is, it is printed again. Then it goes to the
Senate where it is again printed and referred
TO committee. On being reported by the
committee it is again printed and placed on
the Senate calendar, and if passed by the
Senate it Is again printed as a law. Then
finally 1t is printed again in the statute
books. Quite severe printing for cne bill.
OF each bill introduced large number Of
copies are printed and stored in the docu-
ment rooms Of the Senate and House, where
after remaining for several years they are
carted away and sold for old junk, and new
ones take their places. Thousands upon
thousands are piled up in the document
rooms awaiting general destruction. Prob
ably not more than 10 per cent. of the bills
introduced ever pass Congress- and
very large portion Of the bills in
troduced in any Congress are old ones
which have been before each succeeding
Congress fer years. The most Of these are
private bills, whose benefcaries hang
around the capitol year after year and bore
the Congressman and Senators in their
fruitless endeavors to get their bills through,
and spend enough without results to
amount to much more than their bills call
for. The cost Of printing these thousands
of private bills every year is something
enormous, and has been estimated to be
more than is involved in all those that pass.
If the law giving the Court of Claims juris-
diction over private claims could be passed,
it would not only take great burden off Of
Congress, but it would greatly reduce the
annual cost of Congressional printing.
Postmaster Commissioned.
Howard M. Jordan has been commissioned
postmaster at West Pownal, Me.
The Senate RetaIIatory Bill.
Congressman Boutelle today introduced
resolution instructing the House foreign re-
lation committee to report the Senate retail
atory bill at once. Chairman Belmont was
absent in New York during the latter part Of
last week, and was again called to that city
today by the death of his brother. His abb
sence is likely to somewhat delay action
upon the bill, and Mr.. Boutelle's resolution
is intended to stir the committee up little.
Senator Frye, today, presented the petit
tion Of Luther Maddocks and thirty others,
mackerel fishermen of Boothbay, Me-, ask
ing that the proposed bill for the protection
of mackerel during spawning season shall
not take effect until next year. This bill is
now a special order and will be considered
just as soon as it can be reached. There are,
however, three other special orders ahead of
it, and as considerable time for the next
week or two will be devoted to appropria-
tion bills it may not be reached for some
time.
Senator Frye Awaiting Informa tIon.
Senator Frye said today rnat he had read
in the papers an account of the invasion of
Canadian fishermen of the waters of the
United States adjacent to lEastport, Me-, but
that he had received no kilograms or infor-
nation relative to the outrages. When such
reach him, he will at once submit them to
the Senate.
Pensions Granted Maine Claim ants.
The following Maine persons have recent
ly been granted pensions:
Mary L., widow Of George X Hatch, Pembroke.
John A. H0dsdon, original, lewiston
Benjamin h Nolabaster, restoration and in
Lyman II. Twltcheli, increase, Willard.
Abe Albert M sSawtelle, increase, Dexter.
Thomas Rice, original Togus.
Dudley q. Royal, original Dover.
Nominations by the President.
The President sent the following nomina-
tons to the Senate today;
PosTMAsTERs
John T. Lathrop, at Clark's island, Me-, vice
NJ. III. st. John, deceased.
James A. Ballinger, MachiaS, Me.
George III. Snowman, Bucksport, Me-
Recorder Matthews Still In Office.
The members of the bar are divided in
opinion as to the Office of recorder of deeds,
owing to the rejection Of Mr.. Matthews.
Some claim that the office is now legally va
cant, and such instruments as are now
placed on record are of no legal effect, and
that it will be necessary to have Congress
pass an enabling act to legalize them. On
the other hand 1t is claimed that it is the
duty of the recorder to continue ON duty till
his successor is appointed, in order that the
business interests Of the district should be
protected and that, should there be no one
appointed and confirmed, he can legally hold
the office until after the adjournment Of the
Senate While much can be said in favor
of Mr.. Matthews continuing to sign his
name as recorder of deeds, some are doubt
full on the subject and have adopted the rule
only to place on record such papers as it Is
imperative to file for the protection of prop
erty interests. When a reporter broached
the subject to Mr.. Matthews, who was in
charge of his Office and the work going on as
usual, he declined to say anything about it,
saving he did not want to be interviewed. A
colored friend of Mr.. Matthews who was
present remarked that any person who